Cops Follow, Nab Robbery Suspects

Minutes after deputy sheriffs watched a gang of robbery suspects use a machete and handguns to rob a fast-food restaurant, they swooped in and nabbed them at a nearby south Orange County apartment.

On Thursday deputies said they let the Wednesday night robbery proceed to avoid violence and to arrest the suspects when they had their guard down.

Investigators dubbed the group the "Machete Gang" because they said one member wielded a 30-inch machete while others used firearms to intimidate victims during five robberies in the past two months.

"That's an extremely nasty robbery weapon," Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary said of the machete during a news conference Thursday. "This was sheer terror and intimidation."

The three men and two women are suspected of robbing businesses since early December in Orange and Seminole counties.

Sgt. Al Rollins of the Orange robbery unit said investigators feared the group was growing bolder.

"We were worried that they may escalate," Rollins said.

In Wednesday night's robbery at an Arby's on Oak Ridge Road, they took $800 that was later recovered, he said. Other times, they netted smaller amounts. Rollins did not have a total amount for all the robberies.

Deputies arrested Willis Anderson, 19; Gregorio Peterson, 21; Tamika Saliard, 18; and Joanna Barkley, 21, on charges of armed robbery, aggravated assault and grand theft. They were being held at the Orange County Jail without bail. Jansen Russell, 23, is still at large. All five are from Orange County.

Rollins said Saliard drove around picking targets for the group, which usually struck stores at closing time, between 9:30 and 11:30 p.m.

After an armed robbery at the Steak House on South Orange Blossom Trail on Jan. 12, witnesses obtained a partial license plate of "V06."

"The best break was the citizens that got the partial tag," said Detective David Phelan, who later used the tag information to watch an address at the Palms of Brentwood Apartments on Americana Boulevard.

Agents followed the vehicle in recent days and even watched some of the suspects suit up in gloves and ski masks before Wednesday's robbery.

Beary said he would add $1,000 to the reward money available through Crimeline, 407-423-8477, for any information leading to Russell's arrest.